E-mail #25: Holy COW !!! 47 lbs and counting.....

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A Note from Mom:
Here's just part of the letter that I sent Chad today........

So - I'm not sure what to say about you coming home early. Except -- I don't think you should. #1 -- I don't even want you thinking about school and coming home right now. You have alot to do. Again -- I've said this - many others have said it. You only have this small amount of time to do this -- then you have the rest of your life to think about HOW you did it. You don't come home early. You finish it -- all of it. (MY OPINION.......) #2 -- well, there really is no #2. That's it period. Please don't think about it right now. Dad said that he was going to write you a letter. So - you have that to look forward to ....... : o )

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Wow! felizidades! Schools out! That sounds great! Haha I wish!

Elder Ortiz is in Cancùn. I got a email from him like 3 weeks ago. He is doing good. He only has 3 transfers left.

Elder Castañeda and I are still here together. This is going to be his 5 transfer here in his first area! Crazy! After this transfer he will have 7 1/2 months! Were good though!

So speaking of weight! I got on the scale today. It said 238 pounds!!!When I came into the MTC I weighed almost 285! YEA!!! Freaken sweet!!! But here in Merida the people feed us sooooo freaken much! Its ridiculous! But I dont eat much in the morning or in the night. LOTS OF WATER!

So yesterday we had 4 people come to church!!! It was so sweet!!! People have to come to church at least 3 times before their baptism. One lady is like 50 ish. Sonia. She likes the bible but doesnt like church. She finally came. Im really excited to see her progress. Then we have Sandro. He is the boyfriend of one of the girls in the ward. His Mom is the head police lady for all of Yucantan and his dad is a plastic surgeon. He's LOADED!!!! He just wont commit to a baptismal date! Tommorrow were going to put one! Yesterday Gospel Priniples was on Baptism. It was perfect for him!!! Then we have a family Jorge he's police his wife Yudy and their son Christian. Christaian is best friends with one of the guys in the ward. Yudy and Christian came to church!!! It was so exciting! Jorge had to work. In one of our lessons he said that he just wants peace in his life. because he is police and sometimes does bad stuff. We gave him a BOM. The 3 paragraph in the intro says that this book is peace. He was very happy and said "This is what I need!" He was very thankful to me! I was super happy! I think Castañeda and I are meant to be here for another change to baptise these people! :D We have 8 baptism planned for the month of June!

So the drunks well....one day they werent drinking so we taught them about baptism and how they could be clean. So we decided to give them blessings to overcome there adiction. It was sweet! The spirit was strong but then we came back the next day and they were really drunk!!!!! So were done with them for a while. Just pass by to say hi! :(((((

Why isnt dad going with you guys? that sounds like so much fun! He probably has to work! But its easy! Just the first part is hard and then when your coming back up! Super hard! Take lots of pics!

Okay so thamks for the support mama! Haha I dont know Im just excited to start my real life back home. I dont want to feel behind or anything. I know I know. I only have 2 years to do this.

So I HAD IGUANA!!!!!!!!!!!! So ya know how we have an iguana. well we caught it. But we only got its tail. He got away :( So we went to Hno. Mar to show him pics and he was like well -- wanna eat iguana? Were like yea!!! So we went outside and got one. It was sweet! Haha We skinned it and ate it in salsa verde. It was good. alot like chicken. Not alot of meat but it was good! Definately an experince! Haha

Im good and happy and were workin :) Not much more to say but I love ya Mama! Tell the old man I want a letter! :) Tell binny I said hey and to be happy! :) I LOVE ya guys :)


Love MO

Castaneda's 6 month tie burning

Got a little "out of control"

Salt & Pepper !! SO GOOD!!

Never in my mission have I had Salt & Pepper

Catching the Iguana at Hmo Mars

Skinnin' it.......

Grillin' it .......

Que bueno !!!

So good.

Me being King Benjamin

Elders Pineda, Abraca, Beck, Simester, & Castaneda

Cute twin girls "doing my hair"

Email #24:Wow! This week was for sho the fastest week ever!

Hey Mama!

Wow! This week was for sho the fastest week ever!

Yea school is almost out!!! Im jelous! I would like a break! Haha Year and a half! Haha

So Elder Haws yea he's short and big. He is super cool! Really relaxed and loving :) He is in the Zone next to our Zone. I never see him. Just for Zone conferences.

Elder Serrano went home :( His knees are bad. He needs a operation and maybe in 2-6 months he can come back. :( It was sad. I spent half of his last day with him. Just chillin in his house. He wasnt allowed to walk. He was a good guy. He just didnt really find his purpose here in the mish yet.

Yea...the leaders. There chafa. But Im here for me and the people :D

What a freaken idiot....those freaken missionaries. You never are supposed to say ANYTHING that is negetive or well yea!!!! WOW!!! I hope the sisters have some luck with them :) (I told him that our sister missionaries tracted upon a family that wouldn't talk to them because some missionaries before had told them that they wouldn't see their father who had died or less they get baptised. UGH!)

Yea I sent Mike a letter a long time ago. Idk I just felt like he needed to hear it. Because honestly this mission thing is HARD! He will do great tho!

Dont do the 40 days thing with the scriptures. Thats ridiculous! I actually just bought a Book of Mormon in English. The kind that missionaries give away for free. Im gonna start over today and read it really hard. Like verse by verse! Use colors for only like.... RED is the ATONMENT! Its gonna be sweet! Lots of misssionries do it but in spanish. Im excited! Take your time to understand it. Its not about the pages its about whats in the pages :D

Im getting tired of the food. Haha Soemtimes we have really good food!!! Other days its blaaaaaa! The food is different here than in Puerto Morelos. I think I like Quintana Roo more. We drink lots of fruit drinks. Like watermelon or Piña or well pretty much take water and blend the friut in it and put sugar. When I come home Ill teach ya! My favorite is Agua de Lìmon. Its just like 6 lemons surgar and water! So goooood! Im writing down recipes so when I come home :) Ill make lots of good stuff!

I GOT MY PACKAGE!!!!!! YEA!!!! Only bad part was the honey broke and I lost 2/3 of the bottle! :((((( I loved it tho!!!!! The peanut butter and honey was so good!!! The JERKY! :) The socks-- they might be a little thick haha Im gonna wear them today...well see :) The tiny BOM was perfect! Thank you!!! The only thing you could do for next time is a letter!!! Letters from fam and my friends :)
I dont use white socks tho... so I gave half of them to Castañeda Haha

In my next box yes!!! Crystal light! LOTS :) My board shorts!!!! The really colorful ones!!! And some rubber flip flops. I think the red. Idk i have like 10 pairs. Just make sure there rubber. More honey and peanut butter. Another journal. Ask Diana :) Humm.... letters and food and BOARDSHORTS! Maybe some T´s.

So this week was crazy cause my comp is the Disrict leader...so when soemthing goes wrong we go to fix it. He is really cool. He invloves me alot with that kind of stuff. Im kinda like the disrict leader too :) Its fun. We went to Caucel. Its a suberb in Mèrida. We went 3 times this week. Once cause E. Serrano left the other because we had a sick Elder and the other because Castañeda had a babtismal interview. Good stuff.

This week we did divisons with Caucel 2. Elder Abarca came to my area. He has 4 months left! Well all of our appointments fell threw on friday. We were walking in the street and I saw a house that I remembered. It was a old referal that we got from our zone leaders. Evertime we went the guy said he didnt have time. This time we went. He wasnt there but his mom and dad were. We asked if we could share a meesage. They said sure. We taught them about Faith, Repentance and Babtizm. The have problems in there marriage and with there older kids...cause they never talk to them. And the Dad is Police. Here if your Police your a bad guy. The accepted a date to be batized. It was really good! But they didnt come to church!!!!!!!! :((( Its so hard to get people to come to church!!! But I know that they know that they need our help!

So I have been thinking. I think I might come home a little early. I want to go to school in August. It will only be like 2 months early. I need to to talk to Aunt Kathy for me. Ask her about school and what classes. I want some opinions. Talk to Dad and tell me what ya think. Then Ill talk to President. I would like to come home to start school on time :)

So this is the last week of this change. Next week Catañeda is prolly leaving. But who knows well see. I hope I become the senior comp :)

Thank you for the package I love ya mama! :) Tell binny I said hi :) How was Dads B DAy? Tell him I love him :)

Love, Mo

Making salsa.....

Elder Serrano's last night

before he went home

YUM -- package from home

Everything made it this time -- except two thirds of the honey.

I'm a missionary now !!!

Except for the Charger shirt .......

What's with the Iguana's ?????

This one's dead. YUCK!

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A note from Mom:

I just have a little something to say about that e-mail. OVER MY DEAD BODY !!! I shouldn't say that -- but really. I've given Ken the assignment of writing him a letter to explain how we feel about him coming home a couple of months "early". Right?????

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E-mail #23: So I really am so blessed right now! We have lots of people to teach.

Whats up Mama!

Wow yea another week down! So sounds like Utah was fun! Well for what you can get out of Utah and a funeral. Haha I hope you showed everyone pics of the stud muffin. Poor lenna. :( She is a tough girl. I miss her so much.

What the freak! All this talk about La Grand Orange and Carambas! You have no idea how bad I want good pizza and real food. The food here is really good but not normal. I want normal good food. Hermano Mar...the best family ever. The make Tamales. There the best I have ever had! No joke! There soooo good. When you meet them, you will get to try them :) I want to go to Hawaii! What the heck! Ahh... the life to be old and have money! Haha

So you got an Ipad but its not an ipad? Teach me more. I dont know whats going on in the real world of electronics! Haha

So this week was a little crazy! We had a Zone conference! I finally met Elder Haws in person! He is cool. He talks like a greengo but he has like 14 months! Wow! The time is flying! The zone conference was really good! I learned ALOT about LOVE for people and about consecration. It was cool.

On friday Elder Serrano came to my area to work. We worked so hard! We had 5 lessons and set 6 baptismal dates!!! Yea we worked it! But his knees are REALLY bad. I think he is going home :(( Being with the Disrict leader is fun. We get to do things that normal elders dont. We had to go to other areas to help do stuff and divisions. Its cool. For like half of saturday I was with Elder Beck. He is from Utah...figures. He is really cool but he works just for numbers he has like 15 baptizms in like 4 months! Crazy!!

Sometimes the mission reminds me of football. Everybody trying to be the best to be a leader. It drives me crazy! Its all this politics crap! But I just have to remember why Im here and to LOVE everyone :)

So I really am so blessed right now! We have lots of people to teach. My companion and I are really good!!! He is a nerd but I love him! I am so blessed to have a good companion. Other companionships are not doing so good.

OOO.... the Italy trip for Kenna sounds like sooooo much fun! She should do it! and 350 hours to work is nothing!!!

Anyway this week went by fast! I love ya Mama! School is almost out! Yea! So exciting! I love ya mama and miss ya! BYE :)


Love MO

Elder Haws from California

Bananas - the best I've ever had

from Hna Mar's tree

Pig's Head --

YUM!

Elders Serrano, Castaneda, and Beck

Giving George a haircut

One of Chad's "drunks"

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A letter from 'Lena:

Hey Chad --

I'm doing good. I went to Utah for Uncle Bob's funeral. It was cold!! There were lots of kids. Little kids. It was a long trip back. I was really sick. I went to the doctor. He said I had an infection. He gave me some medicine. I missed 4 days of the program. But I get to go back tomorrow.

It was good to talk to you on Mother's Day. You sounded funny.

I miss you. I would like for you to come home now. (That is her words -- not mine !!!!)

How is Mexico?

Love, Aleena

His letter back:

Hey Binny!

Thanks for the letter! Im sorry you got sick. But you are a strong yound women! I hope you feel better! Im sory Binny but I cant come home yet. Dont worry Ill be home soon. It will go by fast. Then we can go out and gets some ice cream :D

I love you sooooooooooooooooooooooo much!
BE HAPPY
LOVE PEOPLE
and
BE HAPPY

LOVE CHAD MO :D

E-Mail #22: Just when you start to get comfortable, you get to call home and you feel like your starting over again.

Hey Mama!

It was soooo nice to get to talk on the phone! Just when you start to get comfortable, you get to call home and you feel like your starting over again. I was in a blah mood last night after I talked to everyone -- but it was nice. :D There's really not much to say. Haha

Wow! How sad uncle Bob died! :( he wasnt even that old!

Thank you for the adresses! :) Im gonna write letters today! Well Mama! I sure do love ya! How is binny! She sounded all drugged up! Is she happy? I hope so... Kenna sounded good. I miss her tons. Wish I was there to see her teen years! UGH Dad. I really miss the old man! It was nice to just talk to him a bit! I know he misses me ALOT! I totally forgot. I was supposed to tell him Happy Birthday. Cause its coming up soon. :(( He knows I love him :) Well Mama! Were going to Centro today to go buy some stuff and take pics of old buildings! I love ya so much! Tell everyone I said hi and it was good to talk! LOVE YA!!!!

Love, MO

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A note from Mom:

I feel the same way as Chad. I feel all "Blah" today. Oh well -- it's just part of it. He did talk last night about "the drunks". He told me that he went over and took their clothes so that they could go home and wash them. YUCK! Looks gross. But - what a thing to do. He said they are funny guys, but having a hard time committing. He talked about when he goes over - and they AREN'T drunk - they feel the Spirit and they get emotional and want to change their lives. But - the problem is, they usually ARE drunk. UGH!!
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Talking to the fam on Mother's Day !!

A really cool park in town.



Washing the drunks clothes for them --
GROSS !!

Hermano Mar

Rita and Mar Lopez

(family where he called from)

Mother's Day Phonecall

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A note from Mom

What a wonderful gift for Mother's Day !!! I got to hear my boy's voice. Sweet music to my ears. He sounded so good. Oh, my heart............ ouch! But - how proud I am.

He says that he has finally (after 7 months) realized that his life is different now. He is doing better now that he understands -- he wakes up at 6:30, shaves every day (UGH), studies for a couple hours, then goes out and SWEATS....... He walks a ton and prays ALWAYS. (Literally about 30 times a day... Chad's words.)

But - he gave one of "his drunks" (see last weeks blog) a blessing yesterday and his companion said that his Spanish was ALMOST perfect. He only said one word in English. Speaking Spanish with his new companion has helped him so much. He said that his Spanish has improved more the last 3 weeks then the whole other months combined.

We asked him about the Fast Food. He said that he doesn't like to eat there because it costs 100 pesos. Burger King -- OUCH! (And to put that in perspective -- he has 150 pesos for his whole week of groceries.) Man - does that sound like Chad????? He has changed a bit.

He called from a member's home. He loves this family. The woman has been a member for a long time -- even sent their son on a mission. He took the discussions for 20 years and he finally had his son baptize him just recently. He says that he reminds him of Tom. : o )

Well - it's only another 7 months before we will get to do this again. But - the next time we talk to him -- he will only have TEN MONTHS TO GO!!!! (Not that we're counting.....) Love that boy!

So nice to hear his voice.....

E-Mail #21: I almost started to cry cause I remembered my Binny!

Hey Mama!

Haha Yea Osama died! Its all in the newspapers. The newspapers here are very blunt. I saw his pic. Thats good.

No, I think the iguana left. But we have a small one. Hopefully he will come outside, they live in the block wall. Hopfully we can eat em! Haha Im excited to try it :) Today we are going to the same people that eat iguana and make real horchata! Im so excited! I LOVE Horchata!!! Ill send you the recipe so you can make it. This family is so cool. The Mom has been a member for like 20 years. But the Dad never accepted the gospel. They have kids and one served a mission. Five weeks ago my companion baptized him. It took him 20 years to accept it. He reminds me alot like Tom! I love this family. They're great! Ill send pics next week! This is the family where I will call you. YES I WILL CALL YOU NEXT SUNDAY NIGHT AT 8 MY TIME. SO YOU NEED TO FIND OUT THE TIME DIFFERNCE, I THINK IM AN HOUR AHEAD. EIGHT OCLOCK MERIDA MEXICO TIME :) Ill only have 40 mins...not an hour :(

Its too hot to heat up water for a shower. I LOVE the cold water! This week it was 42 degrees celsius. Which is 107!!! With like 50% humity!!!! Ugh It was so hot!!! I guess here the hot months are April and May. Idk. its hot all the time! The washing machine is so sweet! We get everything done before two. Then we go eat and then I take a two hour nap :D Its sweet!

WOW!!! School is almost out! Kenna is almost a junior! EHHH! Haha How exciting! Summer!! :) How is my room? Is all your Scrap Crap in there? Haha Im sure you will have fun this summer with that!

SEND ME A PIC OF MY PLAQUE. I WANT TO SEE IT :)

Thats crap that Monson gets to Skype!!! Haha I wish!

Im so excited for a package!!!! I should get it a lil faster because the offices are only like 15 min away.

So this week was very intersting. I had Diaria for like 12 days in a row. I had to call the head Doctor in Mexico. I took a lot a pepto. Haha butt im better now (TAKE THAT PART OUT FOR THE BLOG) LOL

We got a call from Sis Salinas and she said we had a referal. So we went to Centro where the Temple is to meet this lady. Well she is a little crazy. She knows ALOT about religion and well she wants to find the truth. So we taught her. It went good. We taught the restoration. She had a BOM. She said she wouldnt go to church or be baptized. So yesterday we had another meeting with her. She said she didnt pray about Jose Smith and the BOM. She said that prayers are meant to be like 1 to 3 hours EVERYDAY! I was like no! This lady is crazy! Well we taught about prayer and tried to find her nececity. I bore my testimony because nothiing was working with her. I told her that I was happy that I have this gospel. I showed her our family pic and told her I was happy cause I have you guys. It was just about happiness. I didnt talk for like 30 sec and then she started to cry and she left the room for like 3 min. I know she felt the spirit! She is just really stubborn. Im hopeing that she prayed and tommorrow we can teach her more! AND... Were going to the distrabution center tommorrow :) Sweet!!!!

Another story. My comp has some old investigators. Well....their drunks or barrochos haha So we went went back to teach them. Well they were drunk but we kinda shared a message with them. One of them is from LA. He speaks English. I talked with him while my companion talked to the others. Ugh! So hard. These guys have nothing! Just each other and a 2 dollar bottle of tequilla. We want to help them so much but they wont stop drinking :( Its sad. One day we went by and I took their bottle of Tequilla. One of them tried to throw a huge rock at me. That was fun, Then another day I almost got hit with a 2 by 4! Haha Good times with the drunk people!

I NEED YOU TO PLEASE FIND EMAIL ADRESSES FOR AMMON SMITH AND JAKE ARMSTRONG AND MONSON TRYON. BOTH EMAIL AND PHYSICAL. I WANT TO TALK TO THEM. I need to email Jake and see how he is doing.

So nobody here knows how to say my name. They say it like Maiberri. Its funny so alot of people call me Elder Blackberry. Its easier. Im also learning how to speak Mayan. Here in the Penninsula. Lots of people speak it.

So we are supposed to have a baptism on wednessday but we think that guy is gonna bail on us :( This guy has had like 15 years listening to the missionaries but never will be baptized. UGH!!! So frustrating!

So in the ward there is a young man. Like 25 years old. He is handicapped. He is so cool. He reminds me of binny because in sacrement meeting, he sings lound and terrible! Haha I almost started to cry cause I remembered my binny! :( He has been a member for a year. His Dad left him and his Mom isnt a member and works alot. He has a job at a Tortilla shop. He needs medication. I guess he isnt allowed to bear his testimony or pray cause sometimes he doesnt say good things. But the members are pretty good to him. My comp told me that he gets beat up my gangs every now and then. Thats not good cause ill get sent home for standing up for him. haha He is a good guy. I cut his hair for him the other day. It was fun. My comp finally let me cut his too. :) Sweet! Im becoming a professional!

Well not much more to say! I love ya so much! Cant wait to talk to ya! Tell Binny I love her and miss her soooo much! Tell Dad cant wait to talk to him! Love ya Momma! 6 DAYS!!!!

Mission home

New house in Merida

Miguel (a preacher and a cop)
let the guys eat some of his Mangos and talked for a bit

Enrique (the handicapped man)

Before the haircut

Enrique

(After)